Katsarya
by kononme
Summary: I was reborn as a dragon that had never been, in a world that would never be. How fitting.
1. Chapter 1

I was reborn as a tiny flickering flame. I felt weak, yet encompassed by this blazing inferno of fire and storm, the other little flames beside me, all around me, and I felt safe. I felt at home. The inferno fed us tiny bits of itself constantly, and even its mightiness began to waver with the amount it was providing.

The storming inferno gave away, thinning over a long time and breaking apart. There was a surge, and the inferno, now a very large fire with a powerful tempest _pushed_ as the other force _sucked_ and I was being dragged out.

I resisted as much as I possibly could- not enough- never enough against these great forces. I bucked and squirmed against it- a tight, squeezing sensation forcing me out of my home. I bit out, desperate to clutch onto _anything-_ something. I just wanted to stay _safe_ and _alive_ and _I couldn't be not out there never out there._ My teeth closed around something soft and vulnerable. I held on desperately- too desperately, as it was torn away from wherever it came from.

I was dropped against many soft materials, wet and not the only one wriggling about. I felt the presences behind me, even under the strange slick smooth and though soft, were strangely scaly. The slick wasn't the only thing though. There was something warmer, stickier pooling at my belly.

Quickly it felt as if it was lapped away and there was a whine of pain and what sounded like someone chewing on a piece of meat before it was swallowed.

I cried out, high pitched and sharp. It was a cry that sounded familiar- not in sound or noises but in tone. Like a small animal calling for its guardian's help.

In response to my high, keening cries, a soft noise drifted, turning larger and larger until all noise settled. Whatever was above me was large enough to turn my world darker than it already was and what felt like a tongue lapped at me. On this tongue, I smelt the blood of what was a part of my little brood and I cried even louder.

This time it crooned, purring and rubbing a part of itself against me in comfort. I settled and fell back asleep.

I wasn't quite sure how much time had passed, but the seemingly invisible crust in my eyes seemed to dissipate day by day, and I could feel small little pinpricks against my scales, and small sounds, playful in tone. I still mewled in protest, giving out a cry. Every time I did it, the little nuisances were removed from my side. Eventually I opened my eye to the world presented before me.

I let myself call for help when I was met with a huge imposing lizard and its small little hoard.

When the thing approached, I hissed out. The giant lizard looked surprise for one moment before it aver a long soft crone. It gave me a soft, gentle nudge with its snout against mine. She was so large compared to me- humongous really. She could kill me with a flick of her razor-sharp claws and could crush me with her jaws, and those teeth- long and sharp- could pierce through my soft little body easily.

Instead she opened her jaws and _roared_ powerful and filled with such fire and storm I _quaked._

I found myself roaring right back, a tiny little fire and two ice chips scraping together.

 _Daughter she had roared at me, and so I learned my first word_

 _Mother, was my response, and so I discovered my second_


	2. Chapter 2

I was reborn as a dragon. Yes, that's right, a flying, breathing furnace.

Although, I couldn't fly, or even breath fire really… heck, my teeth weren't even functioning how they were supposed to! Honestly, I was the sorriest excuse of a dragon, if I'd ever seen one. Well, at least my siblings were in the same boat with me. We were all puny little weaklings and I wondered just how someone like my Mother could have such…. Weak offspring- for the lack of better term- and _not_ be concerned. Honestly, she looked a bit… proud, staring down at us with a soft, warm gaze of motherly pride. It was like we were actually strong- or perhaps she saw our potential to be so. But for now, we were just glorified, large lizards.

Our skin was weak and soft- with the perk of being fireproof, that is- and our teeth had a habit of retracting at random times, especially when I was trying to eat especially tough food. Along with those retractable teeth, came tiny little claws out of canid like paws, nothing like the sharp, intimidating talons of my Mother. Nothing at all.

I think that we were meant to be this weak when we were first born though. If we were as indestructible as our fully-grown counterparts, then I imagine that there would be nothing stopping us from overproducing and messing up our food chain as it was. Even as younglings, we ate a lot. I could eat nearly double my weight in the span of a day- and that was all by myself. I'm pretty sure some of my older siblings could eat even more.

Being a baby again was not fun- no matter what the perks would be when I was older. When would I ever get to that point though? Would it take ten years? A hundred? _A thousand?_ My wings shuddered at the thought.

Another thing! My wings- which couldn't even fly yet, mind you- made the oddest noises. They buzzed a lot, and sometimes moved fast enough to sound like a motor when I focused hard enough. It was fun, especially when I taught it to my other siblings. The look of bemusement on my Mother's face when all of us were buzzing and motoring made it even more worth it.

Honestly, I'd never heard of a dragon who could move their wings in such a way- nor one whose babies looked anything like this or had these attributes. It was almost like we never existed. And maybe we didn't. Maybe something changed. There were many different universes after all, and I doubt anyone from the Before could ever write them all down. Maybe I was born in one of those worlds, where we were too shrouded by a fog to be written out. Maybe someday, someone would hear my story and write it down and share it with others. Someday.

But what was the point if I didn't have a name? My Mother had never given me a name, instead referring to us by the color of our hides. Which was difficult, because I had _two_ silver brothers, one larger than the other and the other with a sharper, more intelligent gleam to his eye. Not to say the bigger was unintelligent, but there was something almost unsettling in the others, like his intelligent was far past his years. Maybe it wasn't the wisdom of something older, but it was calculating and so, so curious that I worried that the little thing would blow my cover. Who knows what my mother, _Frashka_ would do to me if she found out I wasn't really her own? Would she really turn on me? With her gaze filled to the brim with something I could only describe as a mother's love? Or would she only do so if I proved to be a threat to her other offspring? I never wanted to find out. Bile rose in my throat at the mere though of it.

Speaking of which- my chest seized up in horror when _Frashka_ (Mother- _nerverforgetdon'tforgetalwaysremember)_ stepped on an unfortunate small, blue sibling. I expected to see a flattened-out body, but instead I heard a sharp squeal and a surprised snort from my mother. Questioningly, she lifted up her leg and took a shallow whiff of the air. Small Blue- fortunately- was alive and well, though looking like he was in a shock that could only come with being stepped on. After a few more whimpers and comforting nuzzles, he was as good as new, and dozing next to a suddenly alert Bigger Silver and Smaller Silver.

" _Frashka!"_ I called. My mother lumbered towards me and lowered her head so we could see eye to eye. Another thing I learned. Dragons apparently loved eye contact with one another. Apparently, it was to establish trust, " _How Blue Brother not die?"_

 _Frashka,_ seeming _very_ amused with my bluntness, said, " _Lucky for you, my feet were made for stepping on things and you were made for being stepped on."_

When I tilted my head, she gave a soft huff before raising a foot.

" _Feel."_ She instructed.

I hesitated. Getting face to face with something that could knock my head off with a twitch did _not_ sound like a good idea. I did so anyways. Maybe that eye contact had something to it after all.

" _Ooohh, squish."_ I awed at the feel of her soft pads beneath my snout.

" _Squish indeed."_ She chortled softly, leaning down again to nudge me with her muzzle. I crooned and leaned into it.

" _Am I squish too?"_ I asked.

 _Frashka_ tilted her head down at me, _"Why don't you see for yourself?"_

I flipped my paw over slowly, scanning the surface inquisitively. It _did_ look very soft, but maybe it wouldn't be as soft as my mother's. Only one way to find out. I pressed my snout to my pad. My eyes widened immediately.

" _Squiisshhhyyyy."_ I gurgled. I inwardly cringed even as _Frashka_ chortled. The only time I'd ever been this childish was when I was- well, a child. Which made sense, since I guess I was a child.

" _Mine squish too?"_ Said Bigger Silver. Smaller Silver crouched beside him.

Another thing that set them apart, despite them always being side by side. Bigger Silver talked while Smaller Silver never did. I don't think he really understood _how_ to, but that didn't seem to dissuade him from taking in everything and absorbing it like some sort of black hole.

" _Well, for now they are. But when you get older, they most definitely won't be. Another reason why males can't meet their offspring when they're this young."_

" _I want squish! I want squish!"_ Gold exclaimed, crashing into Red happily. Red hissed at her larger sister, but Gold didn't even seem to notice. Black rolled his eyes and stepped away from them both. I don't think he really liked any of us. At least Smaller Silver liked Bigger Silver. Now that I think about it, Red didn't seem overly fond of any of us either, especially by the way she, Black and Smaller Silver would constantly glower at each other. Because Blue and I were the weakest, she'd constantly turn her nose up at us with disdain. She only seemed to tolerate Bigger Silver because he was a nice enough hatchling, and patient and strong. Sometimes, when Black and Gold would try to bully me around to get more food than me (Gold was more of an accidental cause, Black was most certainly not), he'd growl and shoulder them aside, allow me to eat my fill if I was near enough to him. When I put more thought into it, it was probably because they were also disturbing him, but whatever. He was still my favorite sibling after Blue. My least favorite was Smaller Silver because of his eyes and intelligence. Speaking of….

" _Squish."_ Bigger silver cheeped to Smaller Silver, all while pawing at his face. The smaller snorted disdainfully while swatting at the paw intruding his personal space.

This didn't deter him at all. In his excitement, he tackled Gold to the ground and the two began a wrestling frenzy between them and black. Red huffed, rolled her eyes and pointedly turned her back on us. I ignored her, the buzzkill. Instead, I focused my attention on the wrestling trio, wings rustling excitedly. Gold rolled over, tongue lolling out (the tongues were much more different than I imagined, more dog-like and in shape of a serpent's than actually serpentine). He pupils were blown wide as Bigger Silver and Black wrestled above her. Her eyes met mine excitedly.

" _Join, Pink!"_ She demanded joyously.

I looked away and gave a polite cheep of denial.

The thing was, I was just too small and weak to wrestle with those three. If not for Blue, I'd be considered the runt of the litter. Surely if I were to wrestle with my largest brothers and sisters, I was going to be hurt.

Gold only had a second to look disappointed at the loss of another playmate (not that she had much of one from me anyways) before her and Black were play-fighting again. Bigger Silver had separated himself from the two and was approaching me now.

" _Play with me, then?"_ He chuffed softly, crouching down in the position I'd come to learn as the play position. I winced in response.

Me, the second smallest sibling playing with the largest? I most certainly think not. Bad ideas were bad ideas. I turned my head away again and gave a snort that was a dismissive sort of no. Maybe rudeness would drive him away.

But instead of simply leaving like I had assumed, he crawled closer, eyes still staring intently at me.

" _Be gentle."_ He crooned as a promise. There was something in his tone that actually made me look over to consider it.

I eyed him warily. Gold had said that at some point to me too, but I had quickly learned the differences in our strength and ideas of 'gentleness'. I _did not_ want a repeat of that incident, not at all. But still… Bigger Silver always seemed more aware… and he was a surprisingly gentle thing for something of his size. But would it be soft enough to not break me? Or one of my delicate wings? I guess there was only one way to find out.

I bent down in the play position, growling playfully. Bigger Silver only had a moment to look surprised before I pounced. We wrestled on the ground, nipping and biting a each other. And sure, I could feel the stings from each bite, but it was a light kind of feel, something that could easily be ignored.

" _Grrrrr."_ Said my largest sibling, pawing at my chest with his baby claws.

I squealed and wriggled happily, squirming away from him and bolting away. Bigger Silver sat up, concerned. Aww, he was worried he's actually hurt me. How cute.

In response, I chattered happily, batting the air in front of me with unsheathed claws. Finally getting the hint, my brother rose and charged towards me, causing me to squeal excitedly and run away again.

We bolted all around, him somehow always on my trail. Every turn I made, he was sure to follow or intercept. After a while, I felt a paw bat at my rump before a pair of teeth bit playfully on my flesh. I turned the best I could, allowing myself to fall over as I battered and kicked at my capturer.

Bigger Silver simply took them with a determined growl, twisting his head with some flesh caught between his teeth. I chortled and pushed a paw up against his face. Like with his smaller counterpart, however, this did nothing to deter him. Looking for a way out, a flash of blue caught my eye.

" _Blue!"_ I gasped out, _"Help!"_

If I hardly ever played, Blue never ever played either. He was the smallest and the weakest and therefor the most bullied. Every time he was so much as invited, he would roll the other way and go on ignoring them. I was not surprised when he simply did the same to me. Disappointed, but not surprised.

I quickly got over it though. Maybe Blue wasn't willing to play, but Bigger Silver certainly was. I turned my head and chomped at him, only for my teeth to bite the air.

 _Just… a bit… closer…_

I strained my neck, but to no avail, I only ended up nipping ineffectively at the tip of his ear. I could hear him chortle at me in a mix of amusement and teasing. Finally, I flopped down in defeat. Bigger Silver gave a squeaky roar in victory and sat on me. I felt the air rush out of me but remained motionless anyways.

" _I have defeated the Tiny Beast!"_ He howled overdramatically, _"I am victorer, I am conqueror I am- ooof!"_

Silver crashed with silver in a blur as Bigger Silver landed beneath Smaller Silver's form. Bigger had only a moment to be shocked before he was mauled by baby teeth and claws. The two wriggled around, snarling and hissing and squeakily roaring. I scrambled to my paws to stare incredulously. When I couln't find the answer as to what just happened from the scene before me, I turned towards my guardian, who looked baffled but amused. Not even she had been expecting _that_ from Smaller Silver, a little hatching that seemed to take himself too seriously.

But still, he had just stolen away the only good playmate I had. So after a few moments, I was growling in agitation.

" _Hey!"_ I snarled, batting at the thief.

Said thief paused and turned to glare at me. I nearly shrunk away in fright. Nearly. I think anger gave me all the bravery I needed to stand up to my larger broodmate.

" _Bigger Silver mine. You can have him back later."_ And hey, I had just used a full sentence. Who ever said anger could do nothing for you?

Smaller Silver didn't respond. Mostly because he couldn't. Out of us all, he was the only one who couldn't talk yet. That made me a tiny bit smug. Just a tiny bit.

" _That's enough, K- Pink. Come with me, Liebling."_

I grumbled but retreated at the pet name. There went my fun, right down the drain. I glanced back mournfully, and saw Bigger trying to follow me, only for Smaller to but into his shoulder aggressively. Bigger rumbled low in his throat and headbutted him back, in what I presume was in irritation.

I turned away reluctantly, still grumbling under my breath.

I lay by my Mother's head, back pressed against her jaw. I never thought I'd ever be placing any sort of body part near a gigantic lizard and _not_ be peeing myself, but here I am. Here I am.

I sighed and cuddled closer, watching all of my siblings with a keen eye. Bigger and Smaller seemed to be fighting a little too fiercely for it to really be playing, but oh well. And there Red was, looking too disdainful for the world. Black and Gold were still having a mini-battle, with Gold in all her exuberance on top. Blue was currently snuggled up to my side.

Life was pretty good.

And then my Mother made it ten times better.

" _I think…."_ She began slowly, _"I think it is time to name you all."_

Everything stopped. The world went silent, apart from _Frashka's_ amused chortles at our reaction.

" _Biggest to smallest!"_ Black demanded.

" _No!"_ I whined, pawing at _Frashka's_ face, _"Smallest to largest!"_

Black snarled and stepped forward, but I was oblivious to this. I was also oblivious to the fact that Gold had thwacked him much harder than she usually did. And _that_ was saying something.

 _Frashka_ leaned to the side and upwards so I was unable to reach her any longer. I whimpered at the loss. She crooned distractedly in reply.

" _Well, I suppose biggest to Smallest will work well enough. But Black, you_ _ **will**_ _be going last for your behavior."_

Black's whine of protest by a sound of thunder from my mother. She meant business.

My wings motored in excitement, and I could hear quite a few of my siblings followed.

…

 _And so, Bigger Silver was named Reoniculus, a name that meant Kind Ruler, and Smaller a name that suited him well, a name that meant cunning and sharp. His name was Vilkas._

 _There was Momo, once known as Gold who's name translated to Bouncing Fire in our language, and Valnaria, previously Red, who was named after Beautiful, Deadly Fires._

 _Black was named Thuggory. He Was named after his pitch black hide._

 _There were the runts. The smallest, one of a oceanic blue was given the title of Skrahn, or Small Sea._

 _And the second smallest? The one who was reborn as a creature who was never meant to be in a world that had never been?_

 _She was named Katsarya._

 _She was named for the blazing flames, one that had the potential to grow into a great inferno, or to flicker out with a blow of the mighty wind._

 _I think that name summed up my fate nicely._

 _But only time would tell, I would think as our brood roared our and each other's names uproariously, with my mother, my guardian as the overfalling thunder and storm._

 _We celebrated until our tiny bodies could celebrate no more, and we waited for a new dawn to come._

 **Okay, hi! It's great to see so many of you like my story, and I hope I can continue on this way. As you can see, I've made up an OC dragon. They get powerful when they hit maturity, but like Katsarya said, they're still extremely weak when they're young. And they don't hit maturity until they're three hundred years old. Which is a long, long way away, especially for someone who's used to telling time as a human who is not used to such a lifespan.**

 **I will probably need a beta sometime in the future, as I have no doubt there are probably some typos in there. But until then, please bear with me guys, I'm trying my best.**

 **Well, that's it for now!**

 **Review, follow and favorite!**


	3. Chapter 3

Time passed again, in what used to be a blur, was now a slow crawl of a snail. My siblings could only keep me entertained for so long after all.

" _Frashka,"_ It wasn't me who whined this time, but Val, who had obviously inherited our Mother's beauty, " _When can we leave here?"_

" _Soon Lerva (Darling), soon,"_ My mother soothed, peaking through the Den's exit with an almost ominous expression.

" _You been saying for longest! We'll never be gotten!"_ Thuggory groaned, rolling about and hitting into Reoniculus, who had been crouching at Vilkas' side.

Both gave disgruntled grumbles and Reoniculus gave out a ' _watch out, would you'_ while Thuggory rolled the other way. Vilkas rolled his eyes and gave a snort of discontent.

" _Ah, well it was supposed to be today but- Katsarya, come here."_

I hesitantly toddled forward towards my guardian's more powerful presence. I tried not to flinch when she took my neck's scruff between her massive jaws and lifted me towards the opening she had been peering out of moments before.

" _Tell me Katsarya, what is it that you smell?"_

I focused and breathed inwards, fully expecting the usual natural scent of the forest to flood my nose. But instead, there was an awful, horrid smell invading and damaging my nose. I hacked for a second, smacking a paw over my snout.

" _Awful,"_ I squeaked, wriggling to escape it.

 _Fraschka_ finally set me down.

" _Orcs,"_ She crooned softly to comfort me and my poor, abused nose.

 _Well it's too late for that,_ I thought sourly, _you've already done your damage._

" _Dangerous?"_ Reoniculus asked.

At that, I tensed. My powerful, mighty mother? How could _anything_ be dangerous for her? Is that why she was here? To hide away? Suddenly I felt more scared than I did in a long time.

" _Not for me,"_ She said, nuzzling a slumbering Skrahn, " _But for little Hatchlings like you…"_ She didn't even have to finish her sentence to get her point across. If we were to go out there, we would surely die.

But then again, one would never know without trying it out. Despite the risks of it all, I was small enough to hide away and light enough to run. And one day, when my wings were stronger and sturdier, the only thing I would have to do is fly. Well, if my fire hadn't already kicked in yet.

" _Now come and sleep. I'm absolutely exhausted,"_

My mother looked the part. She had become thinner over the course of the months I was here. More than likely because most of the food she brought was fed to us. And I don't think she ever really slept fully, always keeping watch over her defenseless young. This was going to be her first time really resting and I was going to make sure she would get to enjoy it (which meant I'd have to be very, very quiet, though that was already a given even before this). We all curled up together.

I awoke to scuffling noises near our little home. My breath froze for a small, brief moment before I released it with a great amount of relief. A deer decided to graze near us.

Momo lifted her head with great delight.

" _Yuhm,"_ She chirped, " _I want some deer,"_

My ditzy larger sister then got up and toddled towards the opening.

" _Momo,"_ Val hissed, _"Get back before you wake_ Fraschka,"

" _But I want deer,"_ Momo whined.

" _Too bad,"_

Momo reluctantly returned.

The next time I woke up, I gazed towards the opening, spilling in moonlight and pooling it like it was water with great a great amount of yearning. I poked my head up and surveyed my surroundings. Everyone seemed to be asleep, so I got to my little paws and waddled towards the entrance. A voice cut me off and caused me to jump.

" _And where do you think you're going?"_

I snapped my head around. Vilkas, only a bit smaller than Thuggory, glowered at me, intimidating for such a small, adorable lizard.

" _You can talk?"_ Was all I could say.

He scoffed, _"Of course I can. What do you contemplate is happening now? A telepathic connection?"_

A few of those words slipped over my head like water over my smooth, leathery and soft skin.

" _Uhhm, no? But- but if you talk so good, why not talk earlier?"_ I demanded quietly.

" _What, and sound like a Tala'dan (Bumbling Fool) like Thuggory? I think not,"_ He hissed as if truly offended.

I nodded as if I understood, even though I truly didn't. A bit sad, because with my past life, you would think things would be easier for me. Like understanding this darn language, or…. Anything really. It was like my mind was fresh and new again, but it still contained certain things from Before.

" _Originate back to the nest, before you make Mother awaken herself,"_

Again, I was lost with such words. (Later I would realize he was showing off a bit and not using them in a necessarily correct manner.) I understood perfectly however when he jerked his head in the direction of the nest.

" _I just want walk around for a lil'! I'll return before she notices I gone! Swear!"_

" _No way is that going to happen! If something happens to you, guess who'll be the one who is held accountable?"_

I tilted my head, already resigned to not understanding.

" _Me, you_ Zorlen! (Idiot!)"

Okay, now _that_ I understand! It was almost like a toddler calling a grown up stupid in my own opinion, which was, in some ways, technically correct. I bristled and my little wings unfurled to half mast, buzzing rapidly.

"I'm not an idiot! You take that back! Right now!"

Vilkas glared at me in confusion.

" _What are you even saying?!"_

"What do you mean-?!" Oh. _Oh._

This wasn't good. Somehow, I had begun to talk in human tongue, something I had not even thought possible before now. Had my kin driven me to such anger that I had spoken my language from Before? Had mother heard? Dread and fear filled me instantly. What would happen if she did? Would she deem me a ' _strangeling'_ _and abandon me, would she eat me? Or would she abuse me regularly until I just couldn't take it anymore and-_

" _For the love of Xiaxon (Holy Flame), would you calm yourself down?!"_ My larger, silver brother hissed, wings now also unfolded to match mine and twitching warily.

I flinched at his tone. The hatchling breathed in to calm himself down, then opened his eyes once more, revealing the bloody red irises beneath.

" _We'll go, just-just don't_ do _that anymore, will you?"_ He demanded.

I nodded enthusiastically. It seemed that I had given him quite the scare, a look of fear only something so young could pull off. I would have felt bad if it wasn't for the fact that he had been the cause of both of my panics. But wait….

" _We?"_ I repeated dumbly.

He rolled his eyes, _"Yes, we. Who else is going to make sure you stay out of trouble?_ Fraschka?" He made a motion with his tail to our heavily slumbering mother.

I snorted indignantly. This kid… Honestly, he reminded me of some sort of Damian Wayne, except for the fact that he wasn't trying to go around proving to his siblings that he was the true son. (Admittedly, it wasn't too hard to prove he was the better when he was the only one who could speak in full sentences.)

" _I guess you can."_ I sniffed haughtily.

He sniffed right back, _"Oh, I know I can."_

" _How do we get up there anyways?"_

Vilkas shrugged, his wings fluttering contemplatively.

" _Before, we were too weak to pull ourselves up and too clumsy as well. Now, we may be just large enough to do so, and small enough so the soil won't come out from beneath us."_

"… _cool."_ I meeped after a while.

Vilkas rolled his eyes.

" _Just come on."_ He sighed and headed towards the steep slope. Veering off, he adjusted himself so he was against the corner.

" _Here. Stay at the corners. That should be where it's the strongest, and we can also brace ourselves against the lower parts of the ceiling."_

At my confused glance, Vilkas sighed through his nose longwindedly.

" _Watch me."_ He barked shortly.

Patting the soil with soft paws Vilkas unsheathed his soft, baby claws. As we grew older, our claws would become talons and our paws would lose their function as, well, paws.

Vilkas cautiously placed a paw on the soil, then another, hopping onto the slope, crouching so his belly was pressed against the ground and his back was pressed against the sloped wall-ceiling thing. He began crawling. And he crawled up, and up and up, before glancing at me.

" _You come."_ He ordered.

I felt offended at his short words, even though they were most likely for my benefit. With a growl, I copied his actions and soon we were making our way up, up, up. Soon we reached the very top and I scrabbled my claws about in excitement, a rush to get there.

" _Careful."_ I heard Vilkas hiss at me. Bits of soil tumbled below.

He gripped my scruff between his jaws and pulled. I winced at the feel of sharp baby teeth digging into my vulnerable skin. My paws touched the soft, grassy ground. I looked down and then at the bottom of my paws in amazement. Vilkas seemed perfectly content to just sniff at it. Speaking of which…. That stink had been way les pungent before. I wrinkled my nose and sneezed in agitation. My ears perked up and rotated around, finally catching wind of the waterfall I'd always heard when I focused hard enough. I remember Val pointing it out to me one day. I would always listen to it when it was designated naptime and _Frashka_ wasn't there to lull us off.

I trotted towards it cheerily, tail high up in the air.

" _Slow down."_ Vilkas growled before bumping ahead of me, sniffing the air rapidly.

I 'harrumphed' in response.

" _Why you come anyways?"_ I snipped.

" _To make sure you wouldn't get yourself killed. Which, you would have. Look."_ Vilkas crouched down, surveying his surroundings critically.

I crept towards him cautiously, whiffing at the air occasionally. The awful smell was getting stronger and stronger as I got closer. But so were the sounds of the waterfall. Finally, I caught sight of it. I still remember the sight of it the first time I saw it to this day. It was large and stunning in the moon, like the moon's rays were transformed into water and pouring into a pool of stars. I felt entranced, for just a moment. My heart sank immediately after that, and dread filled my stomach, wings shivering in terror.

" _I… I think going back is good."_ I said shakily.

Vilkas nodded silently, deceptively calm despite it all. If it hadn't been for his tremoring wings, I'd have been none the wiser. We stepped back simultaneously. Only for me to step on a twig.

I saw one of the giant monster's head snap up, ugly maw twisted into a bloodthirsty sound.

" _To the hole! To the hole!"_ Vilkas abruptly shouted at the second sentence as an arrow whizzed between us, a nick from piercing one of our bodies.

We slithered away and ran through the clearing from where we came skidding across the ground frightfully.

" _There!"_ I screamed, spotting the hole from where we came instantly.

Vilkas pressed into my side, forcing me to shift over. The hole was becoming closer now, I could almost smell it. Relief was slowly coming on to me, calming my mind when-

" _Katsarya!"_ Vilkas exclaimed, and he slowed down, and I matched his pace reluctantly.

 _WHIZZ_

 _THWACK_

An arrow landed right in front of it. Had I been any faster, I would have been impaled.

We screeched to a halt, frozen in shock and fear. I think that if we had just kept going, we would have made it safe and sound without disturbing any of our family. But we were weighed down by the sheer _terror_ shooting through us, zipping through our hearts like a livewire. We could only stare. And stare.

" _L-let's-"_

A low growl sounded behind us. Slowly, we turned around, looking tiny and scared and our wings were buzzing and shivering in absolute fear. The wolf-monster-thing approached us slowly, like it knew it had already won. A snarl twisted its ugly maw, eyes glinting with bloodlust and dark joy. Vilkas growled shifting closer to me. Maybe it was for comfort, or maybe it was to look bigger, I didn't know. Until he put a wing over me, forcing me closer to him and flaring the other, a snarl on his face as well. The wolf hesitated. Then it jumped straight at us.

My silver brother pulled us closer together and laid his head over mine, clenching his eyes tight shut.

( _I didn't want to die again. But what other choice did I have? I suppose there would be better luck in the next world?_

 _But…._

 _But what about Vilkas? Was he born again too, or would he never see the light of day again. He was so young- too young to be experiencing something as horrifying as death. And this was my fault, wasn't it? I had disobeyed_ Frashka _and this is what I deserved. But not Vilkas. Not smart, protective Vilkas who followed me to make sure I stayed out of danger. He didn't deserve this. I would never think he would either.)_

My eyes snapped open and I roared, all ice chips and flame and leapt up to the creature, landing straight onto its face. The monster fell with no grace, shaking its head and bucking wildly to un-lodge me. I held on for as long as I could, Scratching and biting and growling while Vilkas called for help.

" _Go in the den!"_ I wanted to say, but knew it was pointless because I knew Vilkas wouldn't leave me like _this_ , in this certain fate that hung between life and death, not when my fate was as uncertain as it was now.

The wolf gave a particularly hard swing of its head and I flew through the air, landing hardly on my side. Through my daze I could hear that thing approaching me slowly. Our eyes met and I closed my eyes, probably for the last time. I waited for the pain, then the silence.

Only, it never came.

Instead there was a cry and a flash of silver landed on its back. The thing howled in pain, Vilkas biting into its scruff and yanking as hard as he could.

I started crying for help in his steed. Where was my mother? I cried even louder.

The noises were attracting more of them though, and they were gathering around us in a circle. Vilkas finally got bucked off, and he landed beside me. He laid still for my moment and I swear, I felt my heart go all the way to my stomach. I nudged him with my nose. Again, and again and again. He didn't stir.

The wolves and those gray- somethings- orcs were closing in on us, their horrible, ugly dialect filling my ears. I hissed and spat weakly, standing over my brother and protecting him like he had protected me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an orc draw an arrow and-

A roar sounded, reverberated through the air, filled me to my very marrow with the _rage._ It sounded like an inferno, except hotter, something that could reach up to the Sun and scorch the very air around it. It sounded like a storm that destroyed all in its path, a clap of thunder and a roar that was like a tempest that had caught on fire. But, most relieving, was that it sounded like my _mother,_ a fierce guardian over me who would turn everything to ashes for her egg-born.

The orcs and wolf things alike quaked at the sound, some turning and running instantly. Others were foolish enough to stand their ground. They would soon regret that choice.

 _Frashka_ landed in the middle, bowing down and crushing some between her jaws, throwing their corpses to the side like they were _nothing._ She swung her talons and others were sliced in half. Arrows were shot, and they bounced off her thick hide harmlessly. My mother swung around, snarled and shot flames that even caused my fireproof skin to itch. They disintegrated instantly. She swung her talons at those that crowded her feet, and some were sliced in half. Others were lucky enough o simply be flung away. This carried on and I wanted so bad to feel scared. My Mother was like some sort of monster- no, a demon from hell, stomping and crushing and slicing and chomping and flinging and electrocuting and burning. She showed no mercy and I should have felt disgusted for it.

Yet the only thing that I really felt was gross was the smell all this chaos was creating. I felt that and relief and so much love. Still, the scene before me was causing me to feel ill. I closed my eyes and covered my nose, still too afraid to move.

I'm not too sure when the noise finally stopped. It may have been minutes or it may have been hours. At some point, Vilkas had woken up and wrapped himself around me, protective as he would be forever on. When the discourse stooped, Vilkas peeked up and gave me a chance finally gave me a chance to lift my head and peer over.

I was met with a purple snout. That snout nudged us and a tongue peeked out to lap at us. We nuzzled ourselves against her, a comfort that we took greedily. A snarl suddenly formed on her maw and she jerked her head back, glaring at us with even more fierceness than a lioness. She then ducked her head down and bit us sharply in her rumps. We yelped, despite, from what I saw, it only being a fraction of a fraction of a _fraction_ of her power.

" _Foolish Frassur (Offspring). What were you thinking?"_

" _Laerinoski."_ We mewled.

My Mother looked at us, lowering herself down so her head rested in front of us.

" _Well, if you want to go out that badly. I suppose tomorrow we'll be heading out. For now though, back in the hole."_

" _Where are you heading?"_ Vilkas demanded.

Frashka didn't even look surprised at Vilkas talking. Maybe she had known all along.

" _I'll be back, soon enough."_ She said instead of giving us an actual answer.

After some prodding to get us back in the den, Mother flew off.

" _What happened?"_ Reoniculus beat Val to the punch. Apparently, they had been awoken by all the commotion going on outside.

" _Nothing much."_ Vilkas shrugged.

Reoniculus blinked at him suspiciously but not in surprise.

 _Oh come on, who else knows?_

" _Wait-"_ Val started _._

" _You talk?"_ Thuggory demanded. Val growled, miffed that she was interrupted once again.

" _Duh!"_ Momo chirped, literally bouncing her way into the conversation. When she saw the questioning looks she was receiving, she added, _"He sleep talks."_

Vilkas gave the most tired sounding sigh I've ever heard come from a being so young.

 **Another chapter up! Honestly, I've had this one ready before I even got to Chapter 2 since I'd had to rewrite everything. As you can see, though, Katsarya and Vilkas are more than likely going to have a very close relationship from now on, unless I change my mind for some strange reason. Some of the words I have made up on my own, but a lot of them are going to be from Russian, Sweden, Norwegian and German. I don't know why, but I think this is the best language for them, other than maybe Arabian. It's not going to be in full sentences, of course, because they technically are speaking a whole new language, just with some key phrases that aren't really translated to them, if that makes sense.**

 **Well, that's it for now!**

 **Don't forget to review, favorite and follow!**


	4. Chapter 4

" _Katsarya…"_

My eyes flickered beneath my lids. Twisting around, I tried to squirm deeper into Reoniculus's side and away from whatever was jabbing me.

" _Katsarya!"_ A hiss and a smack on the side of my face.

I woke with a yelp, and so did Reoniculus, a predictable outcome when I was right next to his ear. Vilkas snorted, and I was unsure if it was due to amusement or because he was unimpressed with our little stunt.

" _What you want?"_ I slurred. Reoniculus pressed his snout to my side groggily before setting his head down again to sleep.

" _Frashka has yet to return."_

" _So?"_

" _ **So,**_ _where did she go? She never leaves us at night."_

I couldn't find it in me to really care. I just wanted to sleep, darn it. And yet here Vilkas was, ruining it for me. I would have jumped him if I wasn't feeling so lethargic.

" _I don't carrreee. I wanna sleeeppp…."_

Vilkas snorted, _"Fine then."_

I panicked briefly, _"You're not going out there, are you?"_

" _Of course not. But I'm going to be staying up waiting for her though."_

I suddenly didn't care anymore.

" _Great…"_

I fell asleep once more.

()()()())()()()()(

I woke up once more to a snout nudging against mine repeatedly.

" _Katsarya…. Katsarya, wake up now!"_ A voice hissed.

" _Whaaaa?"_

In the darkness, I could hear Momo's fearful peeps. Okay, that was weird. I was under the impression that nothing could scare Momo of all dragons. Even then, my sister was a brave one.

" _There's a Buzzing Stormwing at our den, I think."_ Vilkas murmured.

" _So? It's probably just_ Frashka." I said, determined to get at least a little more sleep.

" _No… smell the air."_ Reoniculus murmured, doing as he had just ordered me to do.

Grumbling about stupid hatchmates, I did what I was told with the greatest of reluctance. Fear filled me instantaneously.

This smell was much more… musky than Mother's… and more gruesome. They reeked of blood. They reeked of blood of prey and predators and… I gulped, dragons. I could see tiny babies like us snapped up in an instant, and even larger dragons like my Mother slaughtered mercilessly. Were they bigger than Mother? They didn't sound like it they were so far away but so close too close too close for comfort _tooclosetooclosetooclose_ _ **tooclose**_

" _Katsarya! Katsarya!"_ There was a stinging sensation. Someone had just hit me. It was Val, " _Will you stop? You're giving us a fright and I think those dragons outside heard you too!"_

" _Would both of you be quiet?"_ Thuggory rumbled.

" _The sounds have stopped…"_ Vilkas observed, looking up.

" _Where is Frashka?"_ Momo peeped.

Reoniculus pressed to her side in comfort.

" _I- it's gonna be alright, Momo…"_ Reoniculus didn't sound so sure of himself though.

" _Lying is bad."_ Skrahn piped up quietly.

" _So is talking in dangerous situations."_ Vilkas grunted.

We had all drawn together, all huddled up in the center of our nest. We might as well have been one entity. We forgot all the training that _Frashka_ had taught us, about how we should remain scattered so our scents wouldn't create an even larger one. We did not forget the remaining quiet and still, laying flat down on our stomachs, and wings pressed under one another's to keep them from making any unnecessary noise. All of us stopped breathing when a muzzle poked its way into our den, taking deep, deep inhales. My nose twitched. What a disgusting smell.

Val suddenly stood, sniffing at the ground. We hissed at her to get back down, but she did not heed us. She settled her focus on the very corner of our den, sniffing madly.

" _Dragon kits…. Our kind's dragon kits…"_ A smooth, cool voice hissed.

" _Shall we kill them and mate their mother then?"_

Another deep sniff.

" _Yesssss."_

We did not try to hide our cries of terror anymore, screeching for our Mother's help. Val began furiously digging, destroying the dirt with her claws.

" _Help me!"_

It seemed like Vilkas was the only one with sense in him, as always. He joined our sister. Reoniculus, noticing joined in. Then it was Momo, then Thuggory. It was only Skrahn and I left crying out as my siblings began to dig furiously.

" _There!"_

" _There you are…"_

The creatures head slid in slowly, pushed to the side by two others. They stared straight at Skrahn and I. That was what made us retreat to the corner with our siblings, the great fear running through our veins. I was so scared, I almost didn't hear the crumbling of Earth behind us.

They allowed their bodies to slide in next and just _stood_ there for a moment, staring down their next prey. They charged.

" _Katsarya, Skrahn! Come on!"_

Teeth pulled Skrahn and me back. I would later find out it had been Momo and Val to grab me, and Reoniculus and Thuggory to yank back Skrahn. My tail had tiny little dents that were from their teeth digging into me so harshly. It was nothing compared to the ones that those males had- nothing nothing nothing. In front of us, large, ivory teeth _snapped._ Empty jawed, thick, black smoke that I had associated with my Mother getting irritated at us blew from his nose.

Just. Like. _Frashka's._

The snout retreated. Then, they did the most horrifying thing I could think of. They began to dig as well.

" _Come on."_ Vilkas murmured, leaning forward.

He had no time to explain. So he didn't. He trusted us to follow. And what other choice did we have, but to trust him to lead? We were hot on his heels as he led us deeper.

()()()())))))))))))))))))((((((((((((())))))))))()()()()(

Runa, engulfed in Rage and Wrath fired again and again at the still retreating Orcs, even now begging their god for mercy. The mercy would not come. She would wipe them _all_ out, associated or not, for daring to even look at her precious offspring. They would _pay_ dearly, for her ever having to hear Katsarya and Vilkas's beaten down frames, and having to hear their cries, so impossible to her that she had dismissed them as nightmares in her dreams until she had smelt that their scent was _faint and not there and they were in danger_ _ **they were all going to pay for this**_

A cry.

It was not of the Wargs, it was not the Orcs and it certainly wasn't _her._ But it was one of her. And they sounded like they needed help. She did not even ponder her next action before shifting her body in the slightest to change her direction. She looked past the trees, eyes sharp enough for the blurs to resemble actual shapes even at such high speeds. Green, green, deer, Orc that had strayed from packed (she blasted out electricity at that one) and- a flash of bright peachy cream and white. This place reeked of blood and males.

 _This is definitely not good._ Runa thought gravely. She was so very right.

A white, curly furred dragoness with a striking sort of beauty was bent over another dragoness, rubbing her pink nose against her scales as a form of comfort. In the crooks of her wings, deep pits that was between the base of her wings and her bodies, two white babies peeked over, blue eyes curious but fearful. Runa doubted this was the time for congratulations for a successful birth. Far from it.

" _Asna (Sheep) and Mami (Baby). What happened?"_

It was a stupid, pointless question really. She had known exactly what happened, and by the way the furry dragon had glared at her, she knew she knew her own mistake.

" _They…they killed my babies! They just swooped in while I was away and-"_

She jerked.

" _Where did they go?"_

" _They just started flying Westward."_ Asna answered. They had started flying towards her babies!

How had she not even smelled them? Had her rage kicked her up into that much of a frenzy that had lost all sense? It had probably been such a rage that had drawn them in this area in the first place. How else could they have known? They could never mistake the enraged cries of a female dragoness protecting her kin for anything else but. Mami was a quiet thing, always careful to cover her tracks, always so careful to make sure her little ones were safe. She was not. Not in those moments of her rampage, not in those moments of hunting those disgusting, vile creatures down. In search for Runa herself, they stumbled across Mami. Poor, poor Mami. Mami who had lost her kits. Runa was just glad it had been her spawn and not her own that had been killed.

And she would make sure of that.

 _Please, great Xiaoxon, let them be safe. Please, please let Val's nose lead her right. Please let Vilkas lead the rest of them. Please, please PLEASE. Let them be safe until I can get to them._

She took off. She had to get to them- _had to._

" _Runa, Skersi (Be calm/ slow down)!"_ Asna roared out, lifting herself up with her wings and taking off after her covenmate. A covenmate, especially a female, helped a mother dragon defend her kits, defend _their_ future.

Wing in wing, the two mothers could only hope that her kits, _their_ future was safe. Behind them, the sun began to rise sweetly.

 **Okay, I'm back! Nothing to really say about this chapter, except for the fact that it came out of my butt. I don't have anything to say about anything, really. I may or may not update earlier, but I'm not too sure yet. So, as far as tags go, I may change the Kili tag to like, Thorin or one of the Elves or something but I'm not too sure just yet. And yeah, that's pretty much for now guys!**

 **Don't forget to review, follow and favorite!**


	5. Chapter 5

" _Where are we even going?"_ Thuggory demanded.

We were surrounded by rock and stone, the tunnels small enough where our two largest siblings had to keep their heads ducked low. Despite the fact that they could not get to us now, we had all silently agreed to keep trekking forward.

" _Away from_ _ **that**_ _."_ Vilkas grunted.

I shivered in fear. They were still there, still digging, and digging, and digging.

" _Don't worry, 'Tsarya. We'll be okay!"_ Momo chirped.

" _I'm afraid."_ Skrahn stated, trembling.

" _We are too but you don't hear us whinin' do you?"_ Thuggory snarled lowly.

" _Not their fault they were the ones nearly_ _ **eaten.**_ _"_ To my surprise, it was Val that had replied, a fire in her tone that I had never heard before when it came to defending her much smaller siblings.

" _We were_ _ **all**_ _nearly eaten. They just were closer."_ My dark brother snapped back.

" _They were_ _ **just**_ _closer."_ Vilkas corrected, still leading us forward.

" _I'll eat you."_

" _Later. We gotta get somewhere safe now."_ Reoniculus butted in. I noted that he _had_ positioned himself between his two brothers though.

" _This is safe. Not like they can just-"_

There was a sudden loud boom that reverberated. Pebbles fell on our noses and pelts.

 _BOOM_

The walls and ceiling groaned, and rubble began to come down freely.

 _BOOM_

Momo just barely jumped back from a chunk of stone that nearly came down on her.

 _BOOM_

"What's going on?!" I shrieked.

No one bothered to question my change in dialogues. We were all to scared and I would later thank that weird Dragon God Thing or whatever for it later.

" _They're trying to bring the place down on us!"_

That cry had signaled for us to run and run _fast._ We were forced to dodge rubble and chunks of rock coming down upon us with a vengeance.

I remember a saying from Before… I believe it said something about there always being light at the end of each tunnel.

Unless of course, the tunnel was a dead end.

" _Oh no…"_ Reoniculus breathed, summing up all of our terrors briefly.

" _We can dig, right? Right?!"_ I flinched away from Momo's high pitched tone.

Val rushed forward and took a whiff, pressed her nose against it. Finally, she turned away, towards us with a sad, sad gleam in her eye that seemed far too old for someone so young.

" _We can't. I'm sorry."_

I started to wail, crying out for Mother. It was a chain reaction, and soon all of us were joining in, frightful and hopeless all in one.

Another boom. We paid it no heed.

" _Hey! What do you little rats think you're doing in my cave?!"_ A weasally voice demanded.

We all gave a start. It was Reoniculus to step forward, wings spread out protectively.

" _Who's there?!"_

" _An intruder has no right to ask that!"_ There was a flash and soon a small… _something_ had latched on to my largest brother's face. _"Come inta my home, aye?! Ask me questions like yer in the right, will you?! I think not!"_

" _I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"_ He squealed.

" _You will be!"_

" _Wait, you live here, right? T-then help us and you won't have to deal with us anymore!"_ Vilkas exclaimed.

" _Help you, aye?"_

The thing slid from my brother's face, turning to eye us critically.

" _Yeah!"_ Momo burst forward. The thing gave a cautious hiss, _"S-some big old mean Stormwings came in an' said he was gonna eat us and take our mum away and-and now they're trying to kill us-"_

" _Slow it down, youngin! Just 'cause my hearin's sensitive doesn't mean I can understand yer ramblin' any better."_

" _Some Stormwings are trying to kill us. Will you help us or not?!"_ Val snapped out, tired of waiting as rocks continued to fall.

The thing eyed her and gave me time to look at it properly. It was brown, with huge, dull claws. It had smooth skin and looked vaguely serpentine, though much… uglier than the ones I had seen. It had a head that vaguely resembled a mole's and slimy looking, pudgy body.

" _Ahhh, so it seems them males_ _didn't migrate with all the others, aye? Must be rogues, then. Where's yer mother?"_

" _W-we don't know. She just… left."_

" _Did she abandon ya?"_

Meanwhile, Skrahn had barely dodged a rock. Thuggory lashed out in irritation when he was bumped into. Momo intercepted him, biting him straight one the bridge of his nose.

Vilkas and Val took offense, _"Of course not!"_ Reoniculus, meanwhile, grumbled lowly in his throat, angry but still too weary from the previous attack to really do anything.

I was left to wonder what that word really meant. (Later, I would take just as much offense as my siblings.)

" _Well then. C'mon, youngins. I've got an exit for ya."_ He snorted.

" _Thank you so much."_ Reoniculus gushed out. His whole exterior had changed to resemble that of a puppy's. It was kind of…cute.

" _Don' mention it. Well, except to your mother. Always good to have at least one of yer kind on my side."_

Reoniculus blinked happily nonetheless. Unlike his silver counterpart, Vilkas seemed to sort of understand just what he was saying, and growled in indignation. Had we said yes, he probably would not have helped us. At Vilkas's growl, even Val eyed him suspiciously.

We all followed him regardless. (Skrahn, Momo and Thuggory took some prodding, too caught up in their tussle too really notice. Honestly, those three had some awful timing to choose to play.)

The brown thing led us back from where we came, much to our trepidation.

" _We're going from where we came…"_ Momo muttered nervously.

" _You betcha. On yer rush to get away, ya failed ta notice the other path."_

" _Other path?"_

" _Didn't ya hear me the first time?"_

" _Well yeah but-"_

" _Okay then. Don't like repeating myself much, so don't make me do it, got that?"_

" _Ehr, yes sir."_

" _Good. Hey, you, the pink one."_

I glanced at Vilkas, who shrugged.

" _Yes, you. Move to the left."_

" _W-what?"_

" _Didn't I_ _ **just**_ _say that I didn't like to repeat myself?"_

" _Right. Sorry."_

I did so. Had I been any later, I would have nothing but mush. I stared dazedly at the huge piece of stone that had un-lodged itself from the ceiling. Honestly, how many more times would I encounter death before I was finally safe? Slowly, I recovered from my shellshock, my siblings' cries helping the process along.

" _Katsarya!"_

" _Katsarya, are you okay?!"_

" _Answer us!"_

I peeked from around the rock.

" _I…I'm fine."_ The _for now_ went unsaid.

When I circled back around, I was met with relieved nuzzles and puffs from many of my broodmates.

" _Come on. This whole damned tunnel's gonna fall on us soon."_ The strange little creature broke out into a run. We were hot on his heels.

It felt like we'd been running for ages. It felt like even longer when the rubble began to fall again.

" _That was my eighth strongest sector, these damned dragons!"_ The brown creature roared. _"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Gotta get to the exit 'fore they cover that one up too!"_

I squealed when I heard a boulder fall behind us, sending shockwaves under our feet. Skrahn tripped, but I could see Thuggory's hard to discern form headbutt him onwards.

" _We're gonna die, aren't we?!"_ Val wailed.

" _No time to lose yer hope, ya darned baby! Steppen it up!"_

We did not know what he meant by this last statement, but we got the vague idea he had wanted to tell us to hurry up.

" _Alright, get ready ta turn!"_

He disappeared with those words. Forgetting what he had told us, we all skidded to a halt, staring at the inky blackness ahead.

 _Frashka_ had explained to us how cautious our kind was. We were naturally shy, and naturally skittish unless immensely curious to something. It was safe to say, _none_ of us were exactly wishing to explore that pitch-darkness. Someone chittered unsurely. It could have been me. Or all of us. I wasn't too sure.

" _Hey, didn't I tell y'all to keep up?! I told ya ta turn, didn' I? I thought yer species had exceptional senses!"_

Our necks snapped to our side. I could vaguely make out the shape of our little helper.

" _Y'all sure heard that, didn't ya?! Don't make me have ta say it again! I'm even repeatin' that now thanks to y'all! Follow me or die and that's that!"_

A soft cracking noise was scarcely heard over the little thing's rambles. Val was staring up intensely, ears flicking to and fro. We were catching the others' attention, and soon we were _all_ looking upwards.

" _Oh no…"_

A discernable crack was slowly starting to form above our heads. It was terrifying, really, the inevitability of it falling on our heads. It was Thuggory who snapped us out of it, whimpering frightfully and bursting forward, barging past us.

" _Go!"_ Val screeched.

The ceiling's crack opened further. I couldn't see it, but I could hear it, ominous and creaking and breaking. I could barely hear it over the pounding of my heart. The last of us had just barely made it on time. I could hear the devastating noise of the ceiling coming down, cracking through the stone. We were trapped. I could only hope that this small little creature that I had met moments ago in a world where one shouldn't trust others so easily was to be trusted. It was a foolish wish, bound to get me killed, but what was a small, weak creature but me to do _but_ that?

" _Okay then, ya little turds. Up ahead is an openin'. Take it and don't come back, ya hear?!"_

" _Yeah, we heard you."_ Thuggory grunted, running forward.

" _Thank you~"_ Momo chimed.

" _We will be sure to tell our_ Frashka!" Reoniculus added.

Behind us, the tunnel collapsed. The route from which he had come was sealed shut. We paid no mind to it, too lost in the bliss and joy of survival.

Light was slowly filtering in, slow and steady and sweet. It was beautiful and silvery. Our spirits were getting lighter, along with our spirits. The tunnel's soft dirt signaled us getting closer and closer to the surface, and I reveled in it.

The light was soon washed out by black, as were our spirits.

In its place was a muzzle, scarred and with flared out nostrils.

" _I can smell you still, little ones… and…"_ He took a deeper whiff, _"your Frashka too. It'll be an honor to have her, but first… I'll have to get rid of her troublesome little kits, now won't I?"_

We pressed our tremulous frames to each other. He roared, blasting flames at us- so hot and so malicious I didn't _like it._ Skrahn wailed out, louder than just our cries of fear. It was a cry of _pain._

(Skrahn had never been the strongest. Even his flesh reflected it. He was the slowest, weakest- not the dumbest thought, that honor went to Thuggory. Still, little Blue had nothing to compensate for. No speed, no agility, no flexibility- nothing.)

Through the blast, and though I couldn't see it, Thuggory flared his wings out to cover him. Momo did the same. (I had such strong, good, siblings. Perhaps not strong in body- not then, at least- but at least they were so in heart. I would always, always love them. Always.)

I don't know when it stopped, but I could feel my body sagging when it finally did.

" _So this is how I die…"_

It was not said by me. It was not said by Vilkas. Instead, it was said by Thuggory, wing cover Skrahn up as some sort of source of comfort. He was staring thoughtfully ahead. It was almost like he was… intrigued by the prospect, eyes, a shade darker than Vilkas's seemed much too knowing. Those eyes would always haunt me. Far more than the all-knowing gaze of Vilkas's ever would. Far more than this male dragon could ever hope.

" _W-we're not gonna die, we're not! Frashka has to protect us, she has to!"_ Val sobbed.

" _No. She won't. She left us."_

" _She didn't! She said she was coming back!"_

" _And it will be far too late for her to save you."_ The voice said mockingly, _"Not to worry though. I'll give her much smarter, better kits."_

Val, even with the fear consuming her, retained her fieriness, _"No you're not! Cuz- cuz she'll save us from you! You won't even know what hit you!"_

There was cruel laughter.

" _We'll see. We'll see. Now then, I think it's time you learned why us Buzzing Stormwings are named such a thing."_

And he opened his mouth, and electricity crackled within those jaws.

All we could do was stare in horror.

)()()()()()()()()()()))()()()()()()()()))()()()()())(()))())()

" _Just how far away did you go, Runa?!"_ Asna called.

" _Too far."_ She answered simply.

" _I'm not one for hoping, but that seems all we can do right now."_ Asna grunted at her.

Runa agreed silently.

()()()((())()()()()()())))()()())())()()()()()()()()

All _Frashka_ could do was hope.

 **That was quick, right? Honestly, I wasn't going to upload this chapter, because I'm not too fond of it. But who knows, maybe I'll take it down and replace it with the new, better version that I'm thinking of. I was also going to make it longer, but due to my need for cliffhangers, I've decided to leave it off here.**

 **And I am** _ **not**_ **going to change the tags after all after some forethought. I am going to change the outline and whatnot to make everything make more sense in the long run, but yeah. That's pretty much all. Also, I'm behind on the information I'm giving you guy regarding Buzzing Stormwings, and I will probably just add some certain things that Katsarya never really mentions into the comment. Now, regarding the way Asna carries her babies.**

 **Female Buzzing Stormings' wings are not attached directly to their sides. Instead, between them is a pouch thing, a dip in the wing that's surrounded by it and the dragon's body. The dragon is unharmed by this, of course, but some** _ **do**_ **find it uncomfortable for anything, even their own babies to be in there because they are so sensitive.**

 **Runa's (Katarya's** _ **Frashka)**_ **character is still being fleshed out. But in this little portion I'm trying to establish that no, Runa is not as all-powerful and all-knowing as Katsarya makes her mother out to be. Runa** _ **does**_ **make mistakes, and not even she can defeat everything. Nor can she always protect her hatchlings. Katsarya has some sort of god-complex associating this dragoness, as she** _ **is**_ **her protector and whatnot. Her mother tries to live up to those expectations and has been doing a good job until now. Katsarya is going to have to learn that not even Runa is infallible or there will be some serious consequences.**

 **Well, that's all for now! Thanks for reading!**

 **Don't forget to comment, favorite, and follow!**


	6. Chapter 6

_I was dreaming, sitting amongst clouds. It was a peaceful thing. I don't think I ever really wanted to wake up into that horrible reality ever again. That lightning had_ _ **scorched**_ _us, went past our already weak defenses and straight towards our marrows. Such an awful thing, especially compared to this euphoric feeling of nothingness._

" _ **Hello, One of the Before."**_

 _I jerked up and gazed up, and up, and up. A huge dragon, ten times the size of Frashka and a hundred of her in power, stood before me. She was a humble shade of yellow, more intense in some places, softer in color in others. Even from up there, I could make out those eyes. They were an intense shade of blue, more alive and fierce than anything I had ever seen. That look in her eyes could not be outdone by the gentleness that stood out, stark as a white cloud against a dark storm. I could not tell if her eyes were made of fire or sky or lightning. Maybe they were made of all. Spriraling horns reached up towards the sky, seemingly piercing through the endless blue._

" _ **Do you know who I am, youngling?"**_

… _was I supposed to? I looked harder and something familiar sparked inside of me. It was the feeling I got when I looked at Frashka… but so different it couldn't be. I tried to speak, but found I could not. Panic swirled in me before it was quelled. I gasped, or tried to, as no sound could escape me. It was a cycle of this- panic and flailing before being forced to sober again. I did not like it._

" _ **It is alright. I can hear you without your voice, Little One. Now, do you know who I am?"**_

 _I looked upon her again and said 'no', as loud as I could. The dragoness chortled before speaking again._

" _ **I am your Frashka."**_

 _Again, I jerked in surprise- only for my surprise to be replaced by denial and anger. This rage, I found, could not be quelled, no matter how much my surroundings tried. And how could it? How could it when this was the angriest I had ever felt? Here was this- this fraud, trying to deny me of my_ _ **actual**_ _Frashka, and my brothers and my sisters. Here was this imposter, keeping me from dying, or perhaps keeping me from living._

" _ **Calm down, calm down."**_ _She crooned, and bent herself so we were eye to eye. Just. Like. Frashka._

 _I hissed soundlessly and snapped at her muzzle- her infinite strength be damned. She jerked back with a look of surprise- though she looked like she took it as a pleasant one._

" _ **They were right, choosing you. Answer me, Katsarya. Do you know who I am? No will not be taken as an answer."**_

 _I did not know and I did not want to know. I just wanted to get this over with. Maybe start a new life, maybe continue with the one I had. In the long run, this dragoness did not affect me._

 _At these thought, her patience seemingly snapped._

" _ **THAT IS ENOUGH. ANSWER ME KATSARYA, AND ANSWER ME NOW"**_ _She boomed, like the worst of storms and the deadliest of inferno and the hottest of blizzards._

' _Great Xiaoxan-'_

 _I froze and stared. And I looked again. And I_ _ **saw.**_

' _A cloud of storm and of snow falling from the sky. Falling onto a large, fiery stone. The clouds melding with the stone, the fire settling. An egg. An egg cracking. And an eye, blue- as blue as lightning, as the sky, as ice as_ _ **fire**_ _peeked open. 'Nevermeanttohappennevermeanttobeyetithappenedanyhowignoringfatedefyingitovercomingit-  
_ _ **Butnotforlong.'**_

 _Your name is Xiaoxon- and your kin will fall.'_

 _When I came to, she- the dragoness- the Mother of All Stormwings- Xiaoxon was staring down upon me with melancholy._

" _ **That storm was never meant to happen, and so neither were we. Perhaps this is why we have been given such a cruel hand of fate. Driven from Valar… driven from Middle Earth- what will come next I wonder? Draigsden, the Coven? This whole Earth? There is something dark out there, Katsarya. They are taking my children away from me- and using them. Tell me, have you ever heard of the name Sauron?"**_

 _I gasped, feeling terror slowly crawl upon my spine. I had forgotten about_ _ **him.**_

" _ **When the Returning Time comes, many of our males will not return. Be warned of this now. It will be up to you to find them, and then it will be up to you to defeat them. There will be an army of your own kin against you, and there will be an army that is neither against nor with you. Whether you think you are capable or not, this is your destiny."**_

 _An army? How could I even dream of doing this huge task when I couldn't even fight off some dragons now? This was not a task meant for me. Perhaps I was mistaken for Vilkas or Reoniculus or Momo or even Val or Thuggory. Did that mean that one of them was reborn too?_

" _ **You are overthinking again. You and Runa truly do have a lot in common." At my surprised look, she added, "I know all of my children, and I watch over each and every one, even those that are bound to betray me."**_

 _Then what of the blood that I smelled on those males?_

" _ **This does not mean I can protect them. If I could, this conversation would be very different."**_

 _I winced at the mention of it. Her gaze softened immediately, in a motherly way that I was all too used to seeing on Frashka's face when she was too harsh on us._

" _ **Oh, Little One, do not worry. You will not be alone."**_

 _And she glanced off to the side. I followed her gaze and gasped. There were dragons of many different shapes and sizes- all standing and looking down at me. There were so many emotions on each of their faces, held in each of their eyes. I was dumbfounded._

" _ **Some will stand by your side, no matter what."**_ _Among the dragons that stepped forward, there were two of silver, one of gold and another of purple._ _ **"Though even they can only do so much before they too must answer their own call and fall."**_ _Loss filled me instantly when one of the silvers, a gold and a purple disappeared. Before I could cry out, a dark, furry brown nose nudged mine, shrunken down from when I had originally seen him. Or perhaps I was bigger. Another muzzle this time wet pressed to my side. Another was pressed to my neck, and at my wings and soon, I could feel my whole body being pressed against- some with their bodies and others with their noses. If I felt for it hard enough, I could feel something, or someone, perching against my neck. I did not feel so lonely anymore. I breathed in the scent and among those scents, I could smell the ones that I thought had vanished._

 _Before I could even try to look, all these beings evaporated, leaving me empty once more._

" _ **Some will be difficult at first, but they will come by your side in the long run."**_ _A wing, soft red and elegant draped over me like a blanket._ _ **"Once you gain their loyalty, it will not be lost."**_

" _ **No matter what you do, someone will oppose you."**_ _There was a flicker in the long distance,_ _ **"but worry not. You will never truly be alone."**_ _Again, I felt the feeling of beings touching me, giving me their warmth and joy and comfort,_ _ **"Because, eve without these bonds you have made, you will always have yourself."**_

 _They disappeared again- and this time I did not feel empty. I felt empowered, fulfilled, and I parted my maw and_ _ **roared.**_ _This was the first, and last sound I would make on these plains full of cloud._

" _ **Good. Just remember, Katsarya… you cannot save them all. Do not let this deter you."**_

 _And a tiny blue and a huge back formed before me. One dissolved and the other turned, and just…walked away. Never looking back. I screeched out in despair, but once again, there was no sound that escaped me._

" _ **Fate is not something so easily changed. But with the help of destiny, perhaps there will be a way."**_

" _ **Katsarya. You are never alone. Even when it is dark and scary and silent, simply look around. And if you still find nothing, then look inside yourself."**_

" _ **Now…awaken."**_

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Agony is what I awoke to. Pure, unadulterated agony. There was no way around this feeling, and all I could was wait for it to stop.

It did, eventually, as all pain does.

" _They could not have possibly survived that."_ Another voice huffed proudly.

I resisted the urge to growl lowly. Yeah right. I just met the literal mother of our kind. She granted me life here and nothing was going to take this away from me. Not even _these_ monsters.

" _It would be best to try again."_ A different voice chimed worriedly, _"Best not give the mother any reason to fight us, yes?"_

" _Irahn is right. One more time will do."_ And that maw opened again.

I prepared myself for another onslaught. A body threw itself against mine and I nearly squeaked in panic.

"' _Tsarya…"_ A voice I recognized as Reoniclus murmured. _"No worry. I protect."_

" _Me too."_ Vilkas grunted from somewhere, before I heard the sound of dragging feet and finally felt the press of a body against mine.

I will never be able to truly describe how honored I'd ever felt to have these wonderful dragons as my siblings. Here they were, ready to risk their life for me. These thoughts were soon cut off by that same voice.

" _Yes… a few are definitely still alive. If we leave even one, the female will definitely put up a fight. Go on then, Reoskus…. Finish what you have started."_

' _Here we go again…'_ I sighed internally, hoping for death or to just get this over with. From the whimpers heard, I was far too calm about this. Where had that terror gone? I supposed it did not matter. Whatever made this whole thing easier.

And electricity coursed through again.

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A burning smell caught her nose. Runa's heart thundered in her great chest- understanding that her hatchlings were not alive. She slowed herself. Asna churred questioningly. In response, she shook her head.

" _My kits are not alive. This smell… it is of lightning. They were not old enough to survive lightning."_

" _What's lightning?"_ One of Asna's kits squeaked. She was quickly shushed by the other.

" _We do not yet know that, Runa. They are the child of you and your mate. At least one is bound to survive."_

Runa though it unfair for only one to be able to live while the rest would never be able to see themselves grow. Not fair at all.

If she sped up again, well, she didn't notice.

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" _Hurry, Reoskus! I can see two females in the horizon!"_

There was a crackling rumble in response to the dragon words.

" _Frashka?"_ Momo muttered.

" _Has- has ta be."_ Thuggory groaned.

" _Frashka!"_ Val screeched out, finding her voice through her pain. She continued calling, letting the feeling of being shocked elevate her voice.

" _Frashka!"_ Momo joined in.

" _Frashka!"_ Roared Thuggory.

" _Frashka!"_ This time it was both Reoniculus and Vilkas.

There was a pause. Finally, I lifted my head up and called.

" _FRASHKA!"_ We all said as one, voices lifting like tiny thunders.

" _FRASSUR!"_ And there was a response. A response that had to be _her._ Our guardian, our protector, our _savior. "GET AWAY FROM THEM!"_ Was the intelligible thing I heard.

The lightning stopped abruptly. A wet, choked sound replaced it, filled in with horrified shrieks. My world faded to black, and the bodies pressed against me and the sounds of my mother were my only sources of comfort.

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When I awoke once more, it was to a snout nudging me. It was too small to be an adult's, I noted. Then whose…?

" _Frashka, when's this one gonna wake uuuppp?"_

" _Leave her alone!"_ Another voice growled.

" _Ow! Frashka! He bit me! He bit me!"_

" _Vilkas! Frashka is gonna be upset!"_

" _Get 'way from my sister!"_

" _Oh no you don't!"_

The sounds of scuffling really drew my attention towards reality. I yawned and rolled over, cuddling up besides a warm object. Burrowing into it, I yawned again. Sleep sounded nice right about now, especially considering my aching muscles. I was more content to sleep when a snout that was _definitely_ my Frashka touched me.

" _Go back to sleep, Katsarya. Vilkas, Momo, that is enough! Asna, reel in your hatchlings,_ _ **please**_ _."_

" _Oh my goodness! Astriss, Cosmin, stop this immediately!"_

I decided that more sleep was _definitely_ a great idea. I hoped Skrahn was enjoying his sleep as well as I was enjoying mine…

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I got up and stretched, nice and long. I paid no heed to my huffing and puffing brother, unhappy at being stepped all over. That would teach him to sleep so close to me. Reoniculus peeped open his eye to see what the commotion was all about. When his eyes found my form standing up, they shot wide open as he scrabbled to his feet.

" _Katsarya, you're up! You're alive! Thank Xiaoxon that you are! I don't think I would have been able losing you!"_ His mood dimmed then, _"I'm just glad that at least… most of us survived."_

My eyes widened in shock and horror and so much dread.

" _ **You cannot save them all.." A tiny blue.**_

No… she could not have meant… not- not Skrahn! Please, not Skrahn! I whipped my head around violently, and at some point, I remembered calling out for him. Desperately, wildly. I didn't even hear the others waking over my own cries.

" _Katsarya!"_

I paid this call no mind. Where was- where did- why did it have to be-

" _ **Katsarya!**_ _"_

I froze. Heart clenching, breath coming out in great streams, going back in with much pain. I was shaking. My wings were limp and trembling.

" _Calm down, Liebling. Calm down. It's going to be okay."_

I relaxed myself slowly. And just as slow as I, _Frashka_ slunk towards me, gait graceful for a creature so large. She pressed her snout to my side. Still shaking, eyes still wide, I leaned against her. Those words still haunted me, drilled into my brain.

" _ **You cannot save them all."**_

 **Okay, so that's it! I haven't been feeling well emotionally so this honestly took a while to cook up. Now, I haven't reread this, so let me know if I've made any mistakes.**

 **Also, I'm in desperate need of a Beta. So, if anyone is willing to be one, I'm open for it!**

 **I think I forgot to clarify Katsarya's coloring. Katsarya isn't a light pink, but instead a darker shade, like a dark pink carnation I would say.**

 **Soooo yeah. Skrahn is dead. Katsarya is panicking. Do you think I should fill in with what happened while Katsarya is asleep, or no? I will, of course, cover the others' reactions to his death, but still, let me know if you guys want to know what happened.**

 **Next chapter is going to be a mix of happy but sad. Because ya know, their baby brother just died, but at the same time, they also get to experience the world around them! So yay! That's all for now! Thanks!**

 **Review, favorite, and follow!**

 **Until next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

I could not move could not breathe could not _think everything hurt so bad. Skrahn. Skrahn. Small, innocent Skrahn at the wrong place at the wrong time had to pay for it with his life. So unfair so unfair_ _ **so unfair how could this happen how could life be this cruel and unkind-**_

" _Katsarya?"_ Reoniculus asked poking my shoulder, " _Frashka says we have to leave now… Are you okay?"_

I shook myself off, like I was trying to shake off water from my hide.

" _Yeah."_ I had to be.

Life was a slow haze after the events of the Cave. Not even Momo seemed as bright and cheery as before. Vilkas was an overbearing presence now, fending off even butterflies from me and Reoniculus. Reoniculus himself had become almost dimmer in his brilliance. Speaking of him…

My largest sibling kept casting me odd glances when he thought I couldn't see him. I would write it off as concern if it wasn't for the fact that he had only looked at _me_ like that. I'd have to confront him eventually. Just not today. Today was too tiring of a day.

" _Frashka already visited and paid her respects to the dragon that helped us, by the way. She doesn't seem to like him very much, though."_ Reoniculus said, looking thoughtful at the last part.

I paid him little mind. He was babbling at this point anyways. It was the kind of pointless babble used to fill heavy silence, when someone was too afraid of a metaphorical darkness looming over their heads. I did not like these kinds of babblings. But then again, I hated those silences even more.

" _Maybe it's cuz he looks different."_ Momo chimed in. I hadn't even noticed her approach.

Or maybe we had approached her. Looking at my surroundings, I could clearly see we were outside, and that my family and those other dragons were there as well.

" _That's not nice."_ Val said frowning up at _Frashka_ like she was the one who said it in the first place.

Though tired, _Frashka_ still had enough in her to chortle lightly, looking down at her kin fondly.

" _No, it isn't. Judging by motives however, is much more acceptable."_ She snorted out black rancid smoke, looking indignant.

 _Smoke just like his._ Shivering, I pressed myself against Reoniculus harder.

" _Katsarya? Are you okay?"_ Reoniculus questioned in concern.

At the mention of my name, _Frashka's_ ears swiveled in my direction, perking up immediately. Her eyes met mine, and that adoring expression of hers quickly morphed into worry.

" _What is the matter, my little one?"_ She crooned, approaching me slowly.

" _N-nothing. Can we go now?"_

She did not say anything else about it. Just loaded her into the dents of her wings (which were _really_ cool, and I felt smug that only females had them- though that wouldn't come until later) and set off.

It would be a while until she blew smoke out of her nostrils again.

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We were not big enough to peek out into the sky. Which really kind of sucked, because I might as well get something out of this boring ride.

The thing about riding in these pouches was that it didn't really feel like you were flying. Safe and secure? Yes. But boring? Most definitely.

And here I thought I was going to die from those stupid dragons. It turned out boredom would be my demise. With nothing better to do, I slept. And dreamt of a tiny blue flame flickering away.

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I was, surprisingly, the first to wake up when we landed. Scaling my way out, I peered around curiously.

" _ooohh,"_ Momo cooed, " _Prettyyyy."_

We were on a cliff, faced towards the open sky, lush green behind us. I questioned the safety of this landing choice, especially with Momo around. I questioned it even further when Vilkas and Val began to roll around in a heated tussle. Those two were seriously going to hurt each other one day.

" _What do you think, Thuggory?"_ I turned my attention towards _Frashka,_ who was nudging at the crouching Thuggory.

" _Ts'okay."_ He rumbled, peeping cautiously.

" _Scared?"_ Reoniculus jested lightly.

" _No."_ Thuggory snapped, puffing chest out, _"Not afraid of anything."_

Reoniculus faltered, _"Oh. That sounds nice."_

Thuggory stared at him for a long while and finally said, _"Afraid of one thing. Maybe two."_

And the way he looked at the side that Skrahn had been pressed against was enough to shatter my already broken heart all over again. _Frashka_ seemed to agree.

" _Dragons are afraid of many things, you will soon find."_

" _Really?"_ Reoniculus looked up, almost hopeful.

" _Really. We live, and think and feel, do we not?"_

" _Of course we do!"_ Thuggory barked.

" _Then, it is an unspoken rule that we must fear as well, as all living and thinking and feeling things do."_

" _I don' like that rule."_ My pitch brother grunted, wrinkling his nose.

Frashka hummed, looking up at the sky, _"Not many of us do."_

" _We can… we can overcome it though, right?"_ I asked, head tilted down.

 _Frashka_ stared before answering, _"That is one of the unspoken rules as well. Fear can be overcome. If it will be is up to the bearer of this fear."_

" _I want to overcome my fears!"_ Val said boldly, peaking over Vilkas.

" _It is harder than it sounds, Frassur." Frashka_ chortled in amusement.

" _So?"_ My sister puffed back, disentangling herself from our brother, _"As long as it's possible, then it can't be_ _ **that**_ _hard!"_

" _If you're stupid enough nothing is too hard."_ Vilkas hissed, but not low enough for _Frashka_ to not hear.

" _Vilkas!"_ She barked loudly. He winced.

I turned away from my guardian's harsh berating almost pityingly.

I did not regret it. A sunset, beautiful and fiery laid in front of me, peaking out over the cliffside. It reminded me of everything fiery and passionate and beautiful in this world. Despite the ugliness of everything… despite the horribleness and cruelty, some things were worth it, some things persevered. A sunset after all could never fade. Just the appreciation for it.

(The love of a sibling could never die once sparked. Just the realization of that love, just the appreciation of it.)

Behind me, I could hear Vilkas and Val _still_ squabbling, and _Frashka still_ berating them for it. Apparently, Momo had decided to join them, and then Thuggory. It wouldn't be too long before _Frashka_ thwacked them all.

Reoniculus sidled up to me, staring ahead as well.

" _Beautiful."_ He breathed, staring ahead in wonder.

I agreed silently.

" _Do you… do you think Skrahn would have liked it?"_ I finally asked.

His head jerked in surprise. It was like he forgot I could even speak. His eyes were wide before they narrowed and a determined gaze set in.

" _Skrahn would have. But he can't now, because he's gone."_ When I flinched, he rushed on, _"But don't worry. We'll enjoy it for him. I'll make sure that you'll be able to enjoy them, Katsarya. I swear, I'll protect you and Vilkas and Momo and Val and even Thuggory for as long as the sky is able to turn these colors!"_

His chest was puffed out and nostrils flared. For such a small thing, was he willing to make such a promise? To protect us all? But then again, he was so young… did he even know what he was saying?

" _It's called a sunset."_ I blurted instead. _"It's 'cause the sun is going down that the sky is doing this."_

It was only a moment before he answered, _"Oh. Then… then so long as the sun sets, I will protect you all. I promise."_

And he would, time and time again. A dragon always keeps good on his promises after all. They would keep their promises until they simply couldn't, until fate opposed them absolutely and clearly and gave him no other option but to shatter a promise to bits.

Before I could respond, _Frashka_ approached us, siblings in tow.

" _Sooo pretty!"_ Momo cooed.

" _It's called a sunset."_ Reoniculus informed, _"It's because of the sun going away."_

" _Interesting."_ Vilkas said, in clear intrigue.

Reoniculus puffed his chest out in pride. Not for himself, I noticed but rather for-

" _Katsarya told me that!"_ He bragged. _"She's very smart."_

Vilkas hummed as if he wasn't convinced. _"Smarter than Thuggory, maybe."_

Thuggory snarled at him. Reoniculus tensed and gave a growl as well.

" _Did I_ _ **not**_ _just go over treating your broodmates with respect?" Frashka said,_ though I had a feeling she was speaking more to herself than anyone else. _"Did I not just do that, Momo, Val?"_

" _Mhm~"_ Momo chimed, pouncing onto Val all too happily. She hissed and squawked.

" _And did I_ _ **not**_ _just go over attacking your in such a manner?"_ Again, she asked.

" _We're babies,"_ I decided to answer for her, like that really solved anything.

 _Frashka_ looked at me, and her gaze softened.

" _Indeed you are. You'll have to grow and learn someday, though."_

Maybe we already did. Learn something, I mean. We learned how to mourn. And slowly but surely, we were learning how to move on. I simply yawned back at her.

" _Sleep time?"_ I asked.

 _Frashka_ looked at my _still_ squabbling siblings.

" _It would be for the best, I believe."_

We slept in the safety of Mother's dent. The sunset bled into darkness. I felt safe anyways, with siblings all around and a great mother protecting me.

 **Okay, so maybe this wasn't so sad, and maybe they didn't see** _ **that**_ **much of the outside, but I decided to stretch the process over a few chapters. Thanks for all the comments, by the way! It truly makes me happy as an author to see so many people appreciating my story.**

 **Now, I would like to say that the dragons are not on the lands of Middle Earth. The why will probably be covered next chapter, as well as more on the origins of Xiaoxon. All information about Buzzing Stormwings will be covered in the story, just not all at once. We only really learn when Katsarya learns, except if something is introduced before Katsarya learns of it.**

 **Who's your favorite sibling so far, by the way? (I totally tend to ask you guys this question on every important benchmark and every time they develop more as a character, by the way.) I honestly love all of them, though they are my characters.**

 **That's it for now!**

 **Don't forget to review favorite and follow!**


	8. Chapter 8

A pile of leaves dropped in front of our unimpressed gazes.

" _What is… that?"_ Val asked distastefully.

" _Food. Here, try some," Frashka_ beckoned us.

" _But… why?"_ Vilkas questioned, giving our mother a very tart stare.

" _We're omnivores."_ She explained.

" _What is_ _ **that**_ _?"_ Momo questioned staunchly.

" _Whatever is going to make us eat_ _ **that.**_ _''_ Thuggory spat.

" _Something disgusting, no doubt."_ Reoniculus murmured.

All of us surrounded the pile of leaves, crouching like it was bound to attack at any moment. And maybe it would. It sure _smelled_ of something foreboding.

" _Being an omnivore is not bad. In fact, you should be grateful for it." Frashka_ admonished.

" _Or so she says."_ Momo whispered conspiringly to us.

" _And so I know." Frashka_ disagreed.

Momo stared up at her and blinked. Then she dipped her head to her in acknowledgement of her words and turned back towards us, ducking her head low like she was going to share some big secret.

" _Or so she says she knows."_

That actually got a chortle out of quite a few of us. Even _Frashka_ seemed rather amused by it.

" _Another day, then."_ She acquiesced.

Then, she herself ate the leaves, much to our disgust.

But, now that I think about it, I never really had seen _Frashka_ eat before. Only sometime did I see large bites already there from our meals- but I didn't think much of it and then simply assumed it would give us easier access to the good bits inside if nothing else. _Frashka_ really didn't eat much, did she?

Her skin _did_ look rather loose on her body, and she looked a bit _too_ slender.

That was, after all, the sacrifice a Buzzing Stormwing mother made for her offspring. If that was the case, I didn't think I'd ever wish to be a Mother. I respected _Frashka_ for this.

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I woke up with a jolt to my tummy. It was deep in there, dragging down at it and I whimpered at the feeling. It seemed like I wasn't the only one. I could make out Momo doing the same. And with the way Reoniculus was wriggling around and Val was groaning, we were not the only ones.

" _Frasshhkkaaa."_ I was the first to whine, _"Feel weird."_

 _Frashka's head shot up immediately in alarm._

" _In what kind of way, Katsarya?"_ She asked me gently, trying not to upset me more than I already was.

This feeling _was_ familiar to me, but I couldn't quite say what it was or why. Instead, I squirmed some more on my tummy, trying to ease the pangs.

" _Is it your stomach, Katsarya?"_ She asked me urgently.

I gave a weak cheep of confirmation.

" _Who else is feeling weird things in their tummies?"_ She asked the room as a whole.

When she received multiple cheeps, she rose to her feet.

" _Alright then. Wake your siblings and follow me."_

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

" _What you're going through now is new to you, no doubt. As you needed all of the nutrients provided to you, you never had to go through this."_

" _So then what's happening?"_ Vilkas grumped aggravatedly. He had already been upset about being woken up so soon, but now with his fidgeting, pained siblings, his mood had been considerably lowered.

" _They are going through bowel movement, something that happens when the body wishes to get rid of their wastes."_

" _Pooping?"_ I squawked.

 _Frashka_ looked at me with some surprise, causing me to wince.I really had to be careful with my words.

" _Yes, in short, you are all going through the process of year old hatchlings. We call it relieving ourselves and 'making dirt', but it is also known as ahem, 'pooping'." Frashka_ glanced at me.

No suspicion, I noted with relief, but confirmation.

 _Wait wait wait. Year old?! How long did we spend in that stupid hole?!_ I squawked internally.

" _I don't like this."_ Reoniculus whined.

Momo just cheeped her agreement.

" _I hate this."_ Val snarled, pawing at the ground in agitation.

" _It will be over soon." Frashka_ soothed.

" _Or so she says."_ Momo whined.

" _And so I know." Frashka_ corrected. _"Come and bury a hole, then crouch over it. After that, your instincts should guide you."_

()()()()()()()()()

Much, much later, after screeches of frustration and pain and bemoans of a _very_ exasperated _Frashka,_ had finally managed. The proof of that was in the shallow hole I had managed to dig up.

Vilkas, behind me, chose to sniff at it.

" _Eugh,"_ He grunted, and looked at me with accusing eyes, _"You are_ _ **disgusting**_ _."_

I had no patience to _not_ thwack him in his smug little face. So I did. Vilkas, of course, rebutted. We ended up rolling around my excrements a few times, much to our chagrin. We fought even harder. _Frashka_ ended up having to separate us, and being the good guardian she was, licked up the mess on our hides before burying my 'relief' so the mistake was not repeated twice.

Well, three times. Apparently Thuggory had uttered the same words to Val, more or less, even after she had buried hers. Their rolling ended up in a _very_ affronted and traumatized Reoniclus's poop. I reckoned he would be much too afraid to relieve himself around those two again. No one liked having their broodmates barging in on their private time, after all.

 _Frashka_ certainly had her hands (err, talons) full. Surveying the area, she seemed satisfied, though rather tense, as she stared out at the thicket of trees ahead of us. Finally, she huffed out and settled down where she was.

" _Alright, that is quite enough. How about a story to settle you down?" Frashka_ asked.

" _Oooh, story, story~"_ Momo chimed.

We clustered all around her. (And if we left a small space fitting of a certain hatchling, we said nothing of it.)

" _Once, a long time ago, there was a dragon named Xiaoxan."_

I jerked and paid rapt attention to the tale being told.

" _Once, a long time ago, there was a great fire and an even greater storm. Among this storm, a Buzzing Stormwing was born. This storm was a rare one, full of Life Energy and spirit, and gave form to the first of beings of Valar found her, and brought her back to their land. She was given the name of Xiaoxon._

 _Now, Xiaoxan was a curious being, and soon grew bored of her lands given to her by the beings of Valar. She could never travel out of them, as her breath brought great gales of wind and her steps caused deep tremors in the earth wherever she so stepped. She realized the danger of herself, and realized that she never should leave anyhow._

 _But that did not mean her offspring could not. How did she make them, you may ask? She became a storm herself, and produced her offspring like she herself had been produced. It was long and difficult, just as it is today, but worth it, in her eyes. She vowed to give all of her energy to them until she could not continue on anymore. And so she would. She cared for them, and when they grew, sent them out into the world so she could slumber._

 _The Stormwings traveled, but were naïve to the world, especially to the wickedness of it. There, they encountered Sauron. Sauron tricked them with a silver tongue of deceit and lies, and convinced them to fight against his Drakes of Fire. It would prove to be a fatal mistake on their part. Now, while Stormwings are wiser in nature, they are not inherently stronger. This was proven, time and time again, and soon Xiaoxon had very few of her offspring left._

 _Xiaoxan sensing this, rose from her early slumber and saved what remained of her kin, leading them back towards her great lands, known as Drachanlaung. But great damage had already taken place due to Xiaoxan, and soon, Middle Earth would grow to despise us- particularly the Elves and Men._

 _Olorion would confront the great dragoness soon after her, and she, with no hint of apologies blew him away with her breath."_

All of us made noises of wonder at that. Okay, so Xiaoxan obviously did us _all_ dirty with what she had given her offspring as powerful. Only in her wildest of dreams could even _Frashka_ accomplish such a thing.

" _Olorion, angry, returned and admonished her some more. She paid this no heed, however, and turned away from him, caring for her still injured kin. The wizard, at that time, could not help but feel wonder for these beasts, who while nowhere near as strong as their creator, were something to fear on their own. But they were large, larger than even the modern Strowmwing, and he could soon see problems arising with land and territory._

 _So, he sent them off to live elsewhere. Xiaoxan, while not happy about this, acquiesced. So, the dragons took off once more. There they encountered Dwarves and Elves and Men. The relationships they shared with each of these beings would change history forever…"_

 _Frashka_ was beginning to trail off, and even her last few lines were not as heartfelt as before. Her head was dipping slowly to the ground.

" _Frashka?"_

" _HM?"_ Her head jerked up, and we all flinched at the boom in her voice. _"Ah, I'll continue where we left off in the morning."_

" _But…but I wanna know what happens to Xiaoxan and her offspring! And… and why did Olorion say that and… and also why did she give in so easily and-"_

" _Tomorrow, Katsarya."_ My guardian stated firmly.

We protested a bit more before giving in ourselves. Maybe we were a bit tired, just a bit. I was being selfish anyways. _Frashka_ rarely got enough sleep as it was. And so we left for our den.

(In the forest, the watchful eye slithered away.)

 **So, this whole chapter was basically a set up for the events to come. What's the full story with Xiaoxan, I do so wonder.**

 **Anyways, the chapter following are probably going to be longer. So,** **Desert Vulpes Zerda mentioned that she had a hard time telling the siblings apart, so her goes:**

 **Katsarya: Dark pink dragoness. Green eyes. Smallest one. Main character.**

 **Reoniculus: Silver dragon. Red eyes. Largest one. Nicest sibling. The one who Katsarya generally likes the best.**

 **Vilkas: Silver dragon. Red eyes. Third largest. Most intelligent sibling. The one who Katsarya gets into the most trouble with.**

 **Thuggory: Black dragon. Red eyes. Second largest. Grouchiest sibling. Katsarya dislikes him the most.**

 **Momo: Golden dragoness. Green eyes. Fourth Largest. Most hyperactive sibling. The sibling that Katsarya can't help but like, even if she does not show it.**

 **Val: Softer shade of red dragoness. Golden eyes. Proudest sibling. Fifth Largest sibling. The one who Katsarya is slightly intimidated by.**

 **Now that I write this out, I've realized Katsarya generally doesn't interact with her other siblings that aren't Vilkas and Reoniculus. I'm going to have to change that soon enough. I've also realized that Katsarya doesn't have much of a personality, or is it just me? Oh well.**

 **Alright, that's all for now.**

 **Don't forget to follow, favorite and review!**

 **Bye!**


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